Massdrop x Grace Design Standard DAC SDAC

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by purr1n, Sep 1, 2017.

  1. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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  2. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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  3. chakku

    chakku Friend

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    Just got an email about it, the AK4452 ought to keep the Sabre protestors happy but who knows how it actually sounds.
     
  4. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Like what I said in the blog. Striking like Modi 2, but "sweeter" - whatever that means.

    I thought Christian told me it was $99. Oh well.
     
  5. ultrabike

    ultrabike Measurbator - Admin

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    I got this on the mail, and will report back. If one has "objective" inclinations, this might be an upgrade in the right direction.
     
  6. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    I would have had the measured by now, but still 95F outside / in garage. That's where my measurement stuff is.
     
  7. ultrabike

    ultrabike Measurbator - Admin

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    I'll measure them too. But keep in mind that my setup for measurement is pretty humble and may show the limitations of my ADCs when feed single ended.

    I will do the best I can with what I have.

    In other words, I expect the Massdrop offering to far surpass my Focusrite 2i2 ADCs.
     
  8. Koth Ganesh

    Koth Ganesh Friend

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    Schiit could likely enhance the Grace with the Eitr?
     
  9. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    I believe it's USB-in only. Eitr can't help.
    • Inputs: USB micro
    • Output: ⅛ in (3.5 mm) TRS, RCA
     
  10. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

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    OK, so I was pretty into the NwAvGuy message back then. Even bought an ODAC, largely on account of it being an affordable impulse purchase.

    Can't all that be left in the past now? I'd be pretty interested in a budget DAC from the Grace stable if I felt I still had ears enough that what I listen to (apart from the transducer end of the chain) would actually make a difference. And, once again, this is affordable impulse-buy territory. Oh heck. maybe I am interested!

    But why does it have to be related back to the ODAC? m, n, O, p, q, r, S... It's like branding it as ODAC Mark V.

    ODAC was a flash in the pan. Perhaps some of us got dazzled by it, rightly or wrongly... but Grace is decades of serious audio engineering.

    Whatever. NwAvGuy is in my history pile. Now there is a possibility that Grace could be in the future pile. Interesting. And, if it happens, I won't be thinking about the ODAC. even though the marketing guys here seem to want me to.
     
  11. TomNC

    TomNC Friend

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    I wish there would be two versions, one with USB micro, another with USB-B.
     
  12. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    NwAvGuy's stuff is still being sold. And a lot of new people still buy into his drivel.
     
  13. Ringingears

    Ringingears Honorary BFF

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  14. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    There's a pic on Massdrop where it's stacked with the O2. Looks like a perfect match too.
     
  15. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    With the m9xx and now sdac using AKM, I wonder if Grace's next flagship will switch to AKM as well.
     
  16. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    I have found a DAC that, if I'm interpreting impressions correctly, I ought to jump on. Fits my budget to a tee, to boot! Whether or not this was supposed to be out today, thanks all the same, Marvey! XD

    Not competitive with the Modi Multibit, I'm guessing, since it only barely edges out the Modi 2? Well, that's wishful thinking to begin with. Man, Massdrop really is bad news for the wallet. Gah.
     
  17. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

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    Type-face, profile.... plainly aimed at the OH' market. A bit cheeky, really: the complete rip-off of somebody-else's look'n'feel, legal or not, seems a bit dodgy. I don't suppose JDS has a legal department.

    EDIT from the feeling silly department: That's the Massdrop O2 amp. Facepalm.


    Would be if I lived in US. Buying from India takes a lot of the shine off the Massdrop experience.
     
    Last edited: Sep 3, 2017
  18. JimL

    JimL Tongues KG's hairy starfish for fun

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    Well, the type-face doesn't quite match. But seriously - it's in a generic plain black box, which you would expect for the price. I mean, how different can it look?
     
  19. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    Meh, I don't think there's any grounds to that. It's a standard metal enclosure with a plain label on the front and a single LED in the middle. Are they gonna sue somebody because they used the same off-the-shelf box as them?
     
  20. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

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    Oh... I just did a double take... That's the Massdrop O2 amp right? Duh...

    Now I'm feeling silly

    :rolleyes: :oops: :oops: :oops:

    Edited previous post.
     
    Last edited: Sep 3, 2017

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